


Man, Wife, and Slinky Dress

by Remember When (scribblemyname)



Category: Firefly
Genre: Dancing, Established Relationship, F/M, Party, References to Episode: Shindig, Romantic Fluff, dressing up, shameless fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 17:51:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3738013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribblemyname/pseuds/Remember%20When
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You want a slinky dress? I can buy you a slinky dress. Captain! Can I have money for a slinky dress?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Man, Wife, and Slinky Dress

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hellkitty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellkitty/gifts).



_"You want a slinky dress? I can buy you a slinky dress. Captain! Can I have money for a slinky dress?"_

* * *

When Zoe went back into their little closet and dug among the colorful shirts Wash favored (and that made her shake her head in fond exasperation), she wasn't expecting her hand to close on something soft and silky and more expensive feeling than anything else in there. She fished out the garment and raised both eyebrows.

"Wash," she called through the small room she shared with her husband.

He was rooting through something in the far corner while humming a ghastly impression of a sailor's ditty. He stopped though when she called. "Yes, dear?" 

"What is this?" Zoe turned around, holding the scrap of black cloth against her body.

Wash looked as pleased as a little kid but for completely adult reasons. "A dress."

"A dress."

"A slinky dress." He'd managed to surprise her and he knew it, judging by the smug delight dancing in his eyes and grin.

She stared at him for a long moment, a tiny smile slowly working its way across her face. He'd noticed, remembered, then figured out how to buy the thing. He'd spoil her like a princess if he could, and it was one of the many reasons she couldn't help falling in love with him. That and the fact that he could always make her laugh. "And what am I supposed to do with a slinky dress?" she asked, pretending to be coy.

"Well, you could put it on and we could dance around the ship together." She let him gently tug her wrists into his hands and suggestively sway her as if to dance. Despite his complaints to the contrary, he'd always been a good dancer.

But that wasn't _entirely_ what she had in mind. "Or go to a party."

"A party?" Wash stared at her, looking a little dazed as she leaned in close, almost directly against him.

"The Captain's arranged a meet-up at a party. Where's there's dancing." She kissed him lightly and smiled before pulling away. "Put on that suit of yours. We're going."

* * *

"Oh, don't you look shiny." Kaylee grinned at them as Wash and Zoe passed through the mess. "So pretty." Her fingers reached out toward Zoe's dress, as if to feel the material, but she stopped herself before she could.

Zoe smiled and shot Wash a fond look. "My husband has surprisingly good taste from time to time. Feel that." She scrunched up a bit of dress in her hand as Wash protested.

"I am the best dressed man in the 'verse."

"You go on thinking that, dear." Zoe patted his chest and let him pout.

Kaylee gently touched the silky material and smiled more softly. "I told the captain I wanted to stay and work on my girl."

The engine room had been seeing a little more of Kaylee than usual the past few weeks as she tried to coax a part to live past its ideal retirement date. This job Mal had lined up could end up paying for a new one.

"Have fun at the dance!" She waved brightly.

"We'll save you a strawberry!" Wash called as Zoe dragged him away.

* * *

It was nice to feel pretty in a slinky dress that shimmered as she walked, tucked on her husband's arm as he beamed at her and looked smugly at any other male that glanced her way. That is until Mal started to break the mood immediately upon entering the establishment.

"So try and get a feel for the guy—"

"Captain," she interrupted him calmly.

"—and whatever you do—"

"Captain."

Wash looked like he was trying to decide between laughing and ducking.

"—don't make any promises."

"Mal."

"What?" He finally looked up, paying attention.

"This is a date."

Perplexed brows drew together and he cocked his head that puzzled way he had. "What?"

"I'm not here for the job."

"Oh." Mal swung his gaze back and forth between them and nodded. "I see. Well then." He stuck his thumbs through his belt loops and moved off onto the floor.

It wasn't often Zoe put her foot down against the captain, but it was almost always in relation to Wash.

Wash, who was studying her with a broad smile on his face. "You're so beautiful when you're bossy."

Zoe let the corners of her mouth turn up as she wrapped her arms around Wash's shoulders and let him sway her along to the music. "I'm always beautiful."

Wash chuckled and she let herself laugh with him as she held on to the goodness in her arms.

Inara smiled at them as she danced past. Mal made contact, and Zoe steered Wash toward the other side of the dance in the hopes they'd avoid any potential brawls. The last nice shindig the captain had attended hadn't ended up much better than a barfight if you asked Zoe. Mal hadn't, but that was likely because he already knew her opinion.

"Beloved autumn flower." Wash batted his eyelashes at her, and Zoe laughed outright.

"Yes, oh bad poet of mine."

Wash leaned in and whispered furtively, "Come, run away with me from all these people and let us not forget the strawberry."

Zoe raised her eyebrows, then sighed as she glanced toward Mal. "You go on ahead. I'll help the captain."

"In a slinky dress?" Wash looked at her like she was the most amazing thing he had ever seen or heard of. "Can I stay and watch?"

She slapped his shoulder and pointed toward the refreshments. "Go, get the strawberry before Mal starts a fight."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am."

* * *

In the end, the dress stood up to the evening's proceedings largely because Inara hauled Mal out of there before it got too bad and Zoe kept anyone from following.

Kaylee got the whole story (with a fine passel of embellishments) out of Wash, and Zoe got Wash alone in her room for after-date cuddling with her slinky dress hung over the back of the door while they partied with a much simpler dress code and a far older set of steps.


End file.
